West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-06-24
HARPER's FERRY LETTER.
HARprR's FERRY. June 20.

and we believe true one, that mis-
fortunes never come singly. The
same is true of lucky occurrences
and the popular superstition-if, in
deed, it be superstition-is en-
bodied in many well known prov
erbs-"A feast or q famine, " "When
it rains it pours," DC. The mishaps
of Harper's Ferry certainly did not
come singly, for from the night of
October 16, 1859, when John Brown
dropped in on us so rnceremoniously,
until few weeks ago, there has not
been a moments ''let up' in the per-
secution of our apparently relentless
fate. Not to mention the war and
its ruinous effects on US, we have had
for more than quarter of a century
to contend against fire, flood and
famine threatened if not actual, and
the thres F's have been almost rs
fatal to us as the three RS were to
Blaine. But the tide has at length
turned, and although it has not yet
advanced far enough to Justify us in
feeling absolutely certain that it
will watt us all the way to great
prosperity, we feel confident that bet
ter things are in store for us, and we
have already made great gain in
the faith which is so potent for COM
munities as well as for individuals.
simultaneously with the commence
ment of operations by Slavery d Co.,
our city council began series of
improvements in our streets. You
remember how gracefully our side
walks used to undulate and what
pleasing diversity of hill and dale
they used to present. Many night
have we listened to the footballs of
some belated wayfarer and amused
ourselves by specializing as to the
precise spot the pedestrian had
reached. We could always deter
mine the location by the weight Of
the fall and the heartiness of the
profanity. All that is changed now.
The new spirit infused into our peo-
pie has penetrated to the council
chamber, and our energetic mayor
and city fathers have gone to work
with will to render the streets
worthy of the improved fortunes Of
the place. There is also talk of
lighting up the town, and our young
ladies propose to hold festival to
defray the expense of lamps, posts,
&c. With our Republican newspa-
per for a cloud by day and the light
of those lamps by night, we have no
fears of straying from the right path.
One difficulty was feared in the mat
ter of obtaining gas, but happily we
have large number of politicians to
tap and the supply from them it is
thought will be inexhaustible.
But the pride of Mayor Chambers
reign is the new jail-a veritable
Bastile-the browning glory of his
long life of usefulness. 1t is built
on a foundation of solid rock, and
this fact, together with its prodigi
our thickness of wall, precludes all
hope of redemption unless by the le-
ultimate way of paying your fine
Like Avernus, it is easy to enter,
but mighty hard to escape from.
Immediately above the low cells IS
the council chamber and Mayor
Chambers has nobly redeemed the
pledge lie made at his election, that
he would "sit down on criminals"
for he almost absolutely does so when
he takes his seat at the council.
We have lately welcomed to the
place the Rev. Harry Campbell OF
| the Presbyterian Church, brother
of the Rev. w. c. Campbell who,
some years ago, was the highly re-
spected pastor of that denomination
here. Although quite young man,
he is said to display Il very high
degree of learning, besides being q
fine orator. The family he belongs
to is among the best III Berkeley
county and to as who know them it
is no surprise that those scions of
the good old stock should promise
so fairly. "for blood will tell" the
world over.
The ladies of the NJ. z. denomina-
ton here have been holding series
of Lawn Parties for the benefit
of their church. We believe they
have met with deserved success and
we are glad of it, for some of our
best citizens are members Of that
church and the pastor, the Rev. Mr..
Dyott, is young man, who has
earned golden opinions among us by
his affability and christian deport.
ment.
| We regret that almost daily we
lose by death some esteemed citizen
of our town or neighborhood. The
remorseless reaper, who has every
season for his own and whose har-
vest time never ends, has been espe
cially busy among us lately and his
keen sickle spares not for unripe-
ness. To-day we accompanied to
the grave the remains of Mrs. Emma
j. Fossett, wife of our late postmas-
ter, lady who enjoyed the highest
esteem of this community, and who
leaves a very interesting family to
mourn an irreparable loss. She was
but little over thirty years of age,and
| q Tev waekS 400 Was the very pic